What is a prospective student?

I have come across the term 'prospective student' quite frequently and was wondering what does 'prospective student' mean? Is it just someone applying or is it more complex than that?

A 'prospective student' usually refers to someone who is considering applying to a particular school or program. This individual may have expressed interest in a certain college or university, possibly through actions like requesting information, following the school's social media, attending college fairs or school visits, or taking campus tours. However, they have not yet officially applied.

Keep in mind that this is a fairly broad term and can encompass many different stages in a student's college search journey. For instance, a high school freshman who's just starting to explore colleges, or a junior who's much closer to the application process but hasn't submitted any applications yet, can both be considered prospective students.

Once the student submits their application to a specific institution, they usually transition from being a 'prospective student' to being an 'applicant'. After this point, the terminology is more specific, such as 'admitted student' (a student who was accepted by the school), 'committed student' (a student who accepted the school's offer of admission), or 'enrolled student' (a student who has started attending classes or participating in school activities).